Complete Travel Guide to Jordan: What You Need to Know 

Are you looking for outdoor adventures, ancient ruins and delectable food all in one trip? Then this travel Guide to Jordan is for you. 

After travelling around Jordan for one full month, we have condensed our expertise on traveling the country in this article. The complete travel guide to Jordan provides you with all the information you need to plan your Jordan trip and covers the sites in the country you cannot miss. 

Key Takeaways

• When planning your trip to Jordan, make sure to buy the Jordan Pass before arrival. It covers your visa fee and entry to Petra plus many other attractions, saving you money and time.
• Dress modestly in public. Use clothing covering your shoulders and knees, especially when visiting religious sites like mosques and churches.
• Renting a car is a great option for exploring Jordan since the country is small and driving times between sites are short. You don’t need an International Driving Permit.
• Visit key places like Downtown Amman for food and culture, spend a full day exploring the Roman ruins in Jerash, and don’t miss floating in the Dead Sea or exploring the ancient city of Petra.

A Quick Introduction to Jordan

Jordan is a small country located in the Middle East, known for its rich history, stunning landscapes, and warm hospitality. It is home to famous ancient ruins like Petra, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the unique Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth. 

The official language is Arabic, the predominant religion is Islam and the currency is the Jordanian Dinar (JOD). Most travellers can get a visa upon arrival, and the most widely accepted credit cards are Visa and MasterCard. In larger cities, you can find plenty of ATMs with good fees. In rural areas such as the Wadi Rum Desert, there are no ATMs. 

The Jordanian cuisine includes lots of Middle Eastern staples such as Falafel and Hummus along with Bedouin foods such as Zarb and Mansaf, making it fairly vegetarian-friendly. Drinking in public is prohibited and alcohol is sold only at licensed stores. Tap water in Jordan is mostly potable thanks to its high-quality water purification systems. In rural areas, it is recommend to drink bottled water. 

5 Jordan Travel Tips Before You Begin Planning 

Before you start planning your trip, there are a few things you should consider to make your travel experience the best possible. 

These are 5 Jordan Travel Tips that will make your trip that much better: 

• Get the Jordan Pass: If there’s only one tip you will remember from this travel guide, it should be this one: Buy the Jordan Pass! The Jordan Pass is a tourist pass that covers your entry visa fee, the entrance fee to Petra as well as the entrance fee to many other attractions – for just 70 JODs. 
• Dress Modestly: When travelling in Jordan, try to dress modestly. Avoid using revealing clothing such as short skirts and favour clothing that covers your shoulders and knees. This is especially important for visits to mosques and churches in Jordan. In mosques, women cover their heads. 
• Consider Renting a Car: Jordan is a fairly small country with short driving times in between tourist sites. Add to that the cheap rental car rates starting from just $23 (or 19€) and you’ve got yourself the perfect road trip destination. You don’t need an International Driving Permit (IDP) in Jordan. 
• Pack for the Heat and the Cold: Against all expectations, Jordan is not exclusively a hot country. While the climate might be mostly hot and arid, it can get quite cold in Jordan in autumn and winter. When travelling to outdoor destinations such as Wadi Rum, pack a jacket and a hat. 
• Travel Jordan with JETT Bus: Getting around Jordan without a car can be tricky, if you don’t know where to book transport. For bus travel within the country as well as cross-border connections, use JETT Bus. Tickets are available online, prices are affordable and the buses in solid condition. 

Looking for more advice? In a separate article we shared 14 Jordan Travel Tips you need to know before your trip. Check them out! 

6 Places in Jordan You Cannot Miss 

Although Jordan is a fairly small country with just about the same size as Hungary, there are still plenty of things to do and see. Some are more impressive than others though. 

These are 6 places in Jordan you should definitely include in your Jordan itinerary: 

Downtown Amman 

Amman is the cultural and administrative capital of Jordan and the place where most people arrive to Jordan. Hosting both Queen Alia International Airport (AMM) and Amman City Airport (ADJ), the city serves as the main entry port to Jordan, but is still very much underrated. While many tourists choose to spend just one night in the city before heading to the Dead Sea or Petra, we think it deserves more. 

If it is your first time in Jordan or the Middle East, Amman is the perfect place to dive into the region’s history, culture and – most importantly – food. In Downtown Amman you can find plenty of great food places from breakfast to dinner that will show you all you need to know about the country’s food culture. 

These are 4 food spots in Downtown Amman you need to check out: 

• Breakfast: Go to Rumi Café and Deli for delicious coffee and tea accompanied by light breakfasts such as Manakeesh or sandwiches. 
• Lunch: Grab a bite at Hashem Restaurant in the heart of Downtown Amman where you can pick and choose your lunch spread with options like Falafel, Hummus, Foul or Moutabal. 
• Dessert: Just across the street Habibah Sweets serves delectable Nabulsi Kunafah, a mix of cheeses and crunchy dough from Nablus, Palestine. This stop is a must for every dessert lover. 
• Dinner: A bit further out from Downtown Amman, Jubran Restaurant serves the Jordanian staple meal Mansaf, lamb cooked in fermented, dried yoghurt and served with rice and flatbread. 

Once you have eaten your way through Amman, you are ready to get to know Amman a little better. For an overview over Jordanian history, pay a visit to the Amman Citadel and the Roman Theater. To learn more about Jordanian culture, take a stroll down Rainbow Street and learn more about the deep connection between Jordan and Palestine. 

Where to Stay in Amman 

Consider staying at one of these hotels in Amman: 

Budget	The Cabin	from $38 per night	Click here for availability & rates.
Comfort	Lemon Tree Residence	from $96 per night	Click here for availability & rates.
Luxury	InterContinental Amman	from $203 per night	Click here for availability & rates.

The Roman Ruins of Jerash 

When thinking about Roman ruins, many places in Europe spring to mind immediately: the Pantheon and the Colosseum in Rome, the city of Pompeii or even the Pont du Gard in France. But what if we tell you that some of the best-preserved Roman ruins are located in the heart of the Middle East – in Jerash to be specific? That is right, Jerash is home to some of the best-preserved Roman ruins in the world. 

With its colonnaded main street, temples, and theaters, this Jordanian city makes no secret of its Roman past. First settled as early as 7,500 BC, Jerash has seen many golden eras throughout the years, one of them being under Roman rule. In this period, Jerash added notable monuments to its cityscape such as Hadrian’s Arch. 

Located just one hour away from Amman, Jerash is easily reachable by car and bus. Due to the extensive ruins, we recommend planning an entire day for a Jerash day trip though. Take a rental car, wave down one of the local taxi drivers or book one of JETT’s tourist buses to get to Jerash and make sure to have your return trip sorted, before you start exploring. 

Where to Stay in Jerash 

Consider staying at one of these hotels in Jerash: 

Budget	Hadrian’s Arch	from $35 per night	Click here for availability & rates.
Comfort	Dream Hotel Jerash	from $108 per night	Click here for availability & rates.
Luxury	–	–	–

The Dead Sea 

It is practically impossible to plan a trip to Jordan without including a stop at the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea, a hyper-saline lake in the border region of Jordan, Palestine and Israel is popular for its incredible buoyancy that is thanks to its salt concentration of over 34 %. The same salt concentration also makes the lake void of any fish or plants, given rise to its famous name. 

To tourists the Dead Sea has been a must-do for a while now. Besides its buoyant capacities, tourists make the trip to the Dead Sea for the medicinal benefits of Dead Sea mud and to visit the Lowest Point on Earth that is located in the southern half of the Dead Sea. While many tourists choose to spend the night at a costly Dead Sea resort, there are other ways to make this day trip happen, too. 

If you are planning to make a stop at the Dead Sea on your trip down the Dead Sea Highway, you can either stop at one of the public beaches or get a day pass at a Dead Sea resort. There are quite a few places along the Dead Sea offering day passes including access to their private beach, pool area, sanitary installations and restaurants. You can find the best day pass at the Mövenpick Resort Dead Sea. 

For more information on how to plan your trip to the Dead Sea, have a look at our full guide on visiting thee Dead Sea. 

Where to Stay at the Dead Sea 

Consider staying at one of these Dead Sea hotels: 

Budget	Safi Kitchen Hostel	from $49 per night	Click here for availability & rates.
Comfort	O Beach Hotel & Spa	from $100 per night	Click here for availability & rates.
Luxury	Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea	from $130 per night	Click here for availability & rates.

The Ancient City of Petra 

As a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the ancient ruins of Petra are Jordan’s main driver of tourism for a reason. Entirely carved into the sandstone rock of Central Jordan, Petra rightfully ranks among other tourism sites such as the Great Wall of China or Manchu Picchu. But what exactly makes Petra worth visiting? 

Well, for one, visiting Petra is basically free, if you purchased the Jordan Pass. For just 75 JODs, the Jordan Pass includes your entry visa fee, free entrance to 40+ attractions all over the country and your Petra day pass. With your day pass, you will be able to see the Siq, the famous Treasury, a collection of royal tombs, a Roman theater, a temple, a church and the Monastery. 

For hiking enthusiasts, the Monastery of Petra is a must. Located at the far end of the Petra Archaeological Site, the Monastery requires some 3 to 4 hours of walking and some 800+ steps to reach. But believe us when we say, the view of the Monastery is worth every step of the way. Just make sure to come early, to bring a hat, to apply sunscreen and to pack plenty of water and snacks. 

Where to Stay in Petra 

Consider staying at one of these hotels in Petra: 

Budget	Petra Planet	from $16 per night	Click here for availability & rates.
Comfort	The Old Village Hotel & Resort	from $158 per night	Click here for availability & rates.
Luxury	Mövenpick Resort Petra	from $188 per night	Click here for availability & rates.

The Red Sea 

After a day of dusty exploring around the ancient ruins of Petra, your arrival at the Red Sea will provide just the change of scenery you need. The coastal city of Aqaba is Jordan’s only access to the Red Sea, that is otherwise occupied by Egypt in the West and Saudi Arabia in the East. Albeit just 20-ish kilometers of coastline, Jordan makes a whole lot of its Red Sea access. 

Aqaba is the largest city on this part of the Red Sea, giving it its name ‘Gulf of Aqaba’. Aqaba City itself features Jordan’s only industrial shipping port, a ferry port connecting Jordan to Egypt, the ancient ruins of Ayla, the medieval Aqaba Fort and a number of stunning reef and wreck diving sites. On top of all of this, you can find some beautiful boutique hotels in Aqaba that will make your stay unforgettable. 

If you are planning to spend the night at the Red Sea, we recommend you to book a stay a the Bratus Hotel. When we first stayed at the Bratus Hotel in 2023, it was still fairly new and unknown. Still, we decided to give it a shot – and we were blown away. From its top-tier service, to its intentionally decorated room to its delicious (and huge) breakfast, we don’t even know what our highlight was. What we do know, however, is that you need to make a stop at this hotel. 

Where to Stay at the Red Sea 

Consider staying at one of these Red Sea hotels: 

Budget	Hakaia Community	from $34 per night	Click here for availability & rates.
Comfort	Bratus Hotel	from $108 per night	Click here for availability & rates.
Luxury	Luxotel Aqaba Beach Resort & Spa	from $140 per night	Click here for availability & rates.

The Wadi Rum Desert 

The Wadi Rum in Southern Jordan is a spectacular red sand desert with heavily-eroded sandstone rock formations. It first made its way into pop culture when the movie ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ became a global success in the 1960s. In recent years, a number of Hollywood productions used the Wadi Rum desert as their set, among them ‘Dune’, ‘The Martian’ and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Wadi Rum’s subsequent rise to fame brought a surge of travellers to the remote desert looking to stay in one of the hyped Martian tents in Wadi Rum. With it, the Wadi Rum desert got the chance to showcase its other accolades such as millennia-old rock carvings, incredible natural and historical sites and its intricate Bedouin culture. 

When visiting the Wadi Rum desert, these are some things you can do: 

• Visit the filming locations of famous Hollywood movies such as ‘Dune’. 
• Discover the rock carvings of Al-Kazali Canyon. 
• Retrace the history of Lawrence of Arabia from Lawrence Spring to Lawrence’s House. 
• Scale one of Wadi Rum’s natural stone arches. 
• Discover Bedouin food and stay in a traditional-style Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum. 
• Summit Jordan’s highest peak in Wadi Rum, Jabal Umm Ad-Dami.
• Join a Jeep Tour to discover Wadi Rum’s most famous sites in a day. 

Wondering what you can discover on a Wadi Rum Jeep Tour? In an earlier article, we have already given a rundown of all the sites in Wadi Rum you can discover on a Full Day Jeep Tour. 

Where to Stay in Wadi Rum

Consider staying at one of these Bedouin camps in the Wadi Rum desert: 

Budget	Desert Guide Camp	from $28 per night	Click here for availability & rates.
Comfort	Najd Luxury Camp	from $71 per night	Click here for availability & rates.
Luxury	Aicha Memoires Luxury Camp	from $226 per night	Click here for availability & rates.

When to Visit Jordan 

Jordan is a semi-arid to arid country in the Middle East. It is dominated by hot and arid summer and cold winter with more frequent rainfall. In recent years, heat waves in summer have become more frequent, while the winter rains can cause occasional flash floods in the Jordan Valley and popular tourist sites such as Petra and Wadi Rum. 

The best time to visit Jordan is in spring or fall when the weather is mild, but not too wet. Bear in mind however, that traveling during peak season also means much bigger masses around tourist sites and higher tour and hotel prices. For smaller crowds and more affordable rate, travel in one of the shoulder seasons before and after high season. 

Is it worth it to visit Jordan in summer or winter? For more in-depth insight into Jordan’s climate, check out our long-form guide on when to visit Jordan.

How to Get to Jordan 

Depending on where you are planning to visit Jordan from, there are plenty of ways to get to Jordan. 

These are some of the most popular way to get to Jordan from abroad: 

• By plane: Flights from the United States to Jordan start at around $800. Flights from Europe to Jordan can go for as little as $40. The most popular arrival airports are Queen Alia International Airport (AMM) in Amman and King Hussein International Airport (AQJ) in Aqaba. 
• By ferry: If you are looking to connect your trip to Jordan with an Egypt tour, we recommend taking advantage of the Nuweiba-Aqaba ferry service. The ferry between Nuweiba, Egypt, and Aqaba, Jordan, operates daily trips crossing the Gulf of Aqaba from $80 per person. 
• By bus: Most neighbouring countries also operate bus connection to either Amman or Aqaba. Some countries with bus connections to Jordan include Palestine, Israel, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Account for long wait times at border crossings when travelling by bus. 

What to Pack for Jordan 

Some things you should pack for Jordan are: your passport with at least six months of validity, your Jordan Pass, printed copies of hotel and rental car bookings along with a proof of travel insurance, in case you get into any kind of accident. For specific advice on which documents to bring to Jordan, consult your country’s travel advisory or contact the Jordan tourism board. 

Another thing to pay attention to when packing for Jordan, is your clothing. Make sure to pack modest clothing that covers your shoulders and knees. This goes for both men and woman. As a woman, pack a scarf or a veil to cover your head when visiting a mosque. Make sure to pack according to the season, too. Bring sun protection in summer and extra layers in winter. 

How Much to Budget for Jordan

While the Jordanian Dinar is one of the strongest currencies of the world, your Jordan trip does not have to be expensive at all. 

These are three ways to budget your trip to Jordan: 

• Backpacker: If you are traveling Jordan on a budget, you can use JETT buses and local white mini buses to get around, stay at hostels in larger cities and take advantage of free activities that come with the Jordan Pass. 
• Comfort: For a comfortable travel experience, you can take advantage of the Jordan Pass, use JETT buses, arrange taxi transfers on shorter routes and stay at boutique hotels in Amman and Aqaba. Optional, you may choose to rent a car in Jordan for the duration of your stay. 
• Luxury: For an exclusive honeymoon experience, Jordan offers fast, private taxi transfers, curated tour experiences such as the Hot Air Ballon Ride in Wadi Rum and unique hotel experiences such as Dead Sea resorts, Red Sea boutique hotels and Wadi Rum luxury tents. 

Where to Stay in Jordan 

From Downtown Amman to the Wadi Rum Desert in Jordan’s rugged South, these are some of our favourite hotels in Jordan we stayed at during our trip to Jordan: 

Amman	The Cabin	centrally located, very social	Click here for availability & rates.
Petra	Petra Planet	kind staff, lunch boxes for Petra	Click here for availability & rates.
Red Sea	Bratus Hotel	outstanding breakfast, beautiful rooms	Click here for availability & rates.
Wadi Rum	Desert Guide	authentic feel, great Jeep Tours	Click here for availability & rates.

How to Get Around Jordan 

Depending on your budget and your preference, there are a few ways to get around Jordan from comfortable tourist buses to bumpy, but affordable local transport. 

These are 5 methods to get around Jordan during your Jordan trip: 

• Domestic flights: The airline Royal Jordanian operates daily flight between Queen Alia International Airport (AMM) and King Hussein International Airport (AQJ). This is the only non-charter domestic flight you can book in Jordan. 
• Rental car: You can find cheap car rentals at any of your arrival airports in Jordan starting from your $23 (or 19€). Driving in Jordan is fairly easy, only with more traffic and more difficult conditions in larger cites. You do not need an International Driving Permit (IDP) in Jordan. 
• Tourist buses: JETT Bus is the best company for tourist busses. It operates routes between major tourist sites such as Amman, the Dead Sea, Petra, Aqaba and Wadi Rum. The comfort level is comparable to Greyhound and FlixBus and tickets are cheaper than taxis when travelling solo. 
• Local buses: For shorter distances, you can take advantage of the white local mini buses. Mini buses operate chicken-bus-style, meaning they leave the station once they are full. Make sure the ask about the fare before entering and plan for delays. 
• Taxi transfers: When travelling as a group, taxi transfers can be more affordable than booking single bus tickets. Haggle with taxi drivers on the side of the road or simply book a taxi transfer online in advance to get the best prices. 

The Bottom Line 

This travel guide to Jordan provides you with all the information you need to know about Jordan without taking from you the joy of planning your own itinerary. We hope we could answer all your questions surrounding your trip to Jordan and wish you all the best on your next adventure! 

Frequently Asked Questions 

What do I need to know before travelling to Jordan?

Before you travel to Jordan, make sure to check visa requirements, get the Jordan Pass for savings, dress modestly, respect local customs, stay hydrated, and pack for both hot days and cool nights.

Is it safe to travel to Jordan right now?

You can feel safe traveling to Jordan, but stay alert. According to the World Population Review, Jordan is the safest country of the Middle East. Still though, you should pay attention to your country’s travel advisory as some regions are less stable than others and small-scale terrorist attacks are possible.

How many days in Jordan is enough?

To fully enjoy Jordan, plan at least 7 to 10 days. This will give you enough time to explore Petra, Wadi Rum, the Dead Sea, Amman, and other key sites without rushing.

Do and don’ts in Jordan?

When in Jordan, dress modestly, accept hospitality graciously, and eat with your right hand. Avoid drinking alcohol in public, public displays of affection, and wearing revealing clothes.